Bracelet for identification purposes



Oct. 23, 1962 A. R. GOLDAMMER EI'AL 3,059,359

BRACELET FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES Filed June 13, 1958 w J. w

A RT. 1

DGEN A HAT ADW w United fitates BRACELET FOR EENTIFIQATION PURPOSESArthur R. Goldammer, Glendale, Donald A. Long, Van

Nuys, and Walter W. Mosher, in, Burbank, Califi,

assignors to Precision Dynamics Corporation, Burbank,

Califi, a corporation of California Filed June 13, 1958, Ser. No.741,828 8 Claims. (Cl. 49-21) This invention relates to an-adjustableidentification bracelet and, more particularly, to an adjustableidentification bracelet which is adapted to be utilized in single useapplications and which can be disposed of.

Identification bracelets of the character of that under considerationhere are used most frequently in hospitals where they are applied to thewrists of the patients in order that the patient may be properlyidentifiable at all times. A most frequent application of identificationbracelets of the general character of that under discussion is to thewrists of infants so that they may be identifiable at all times duringtheir stay in the hospital.

Since such bracelets must be disposed of after they have been utilizedby one patient, it is of primary importance that they be relativelyinexpensive in order that the economic burden entailed by their use maynot be too great. It is, of course, essential that the bracelet, whenonce applied to the wrist of a patient, be per-manently secured aboutthe wrist until it is severed or otherwise removed in order that thepossibility of involuntary or voluntary removal of the bracelet by thepatient be avoided.

it is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide anidentification bracelet which can be manufactured at relatively low costand which is characterized by the ease with which it may be applied tothe wrist of a patient or other individual whom the bracelet is used toidentify.

Another object of our invention is the provision of an identificationbracelet of the aforementioned character which incorporates anidentification tag container which is located at one extremity of thebracelet so that the identification tag container will isolate theidentification tag from contamination and possible obliteration duringthe time the bracelet is disposed on the wrist of a patient. A furtherobject of our invention is the provision of an identification braceletwhich can be mounted upon the wrist of a patient without the necessityfor the utilization of any auxiliary tools to fasten the same and whichcan, nevertheless, not be removed from the patients wrist withoutcutting, or otherwise severing the bracelet.

Another object of our invention is the provision of an identificationbracelet wherein the bracelet has a detent mounted adjacent oneextremity adapted to engage the perforations in a perforated straplocated at the upper extremity of the bracelet and wherein a foldabletab is provided adjacent said one extremity and incorporates a fastenerso that when the foldable tab is folded over saidone extremity and astrap engaged upon the detent, the fastener will engage the detent andprevent removal of the strap.

Another object of our invention is the provision of an identificationbracelet of the aforementioned character wherein the fastener mounted onthe fold able tab is 'a self-locking fastener which, once it has beenengaged upon the detent, cannot be dislodged therefrom so that the onlyway to remove the bracelet is to sever or otherwise destroy the same.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing which is for thepurpose of illustration only and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the identification 3, 0 59,35?Patented Get. 23, 1952 bracelet of our invention with the variouscomponent parts thereof disposed in the operative relationship theyassume when the bracelet encompasses the wrist of a patient;

FIG. 2. is a perspective view showing the relationship of the variousparts of the bracelet prior to the afiixation of the same to the wristof the patient or other wearer;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the relationship ofthe-various parts of the bracelet when it has been placed upon andencompasses the wrist of a wearer; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the brokenline 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1-3 thereof, we showan identification bracelet 10 manufactured in accordance with theteachings of the invention and including an elongated body 12 for-medfrom polyvinyl plastic, or equivalent material. While the bracelet 10 isdisclosed as fabricated from polyvinyl plastic, it is, of course, notintended to limit the manufacture of the bracelet to that particularmaterial since it is conceivable that the bracelet could be manufacturedfrom any suitable type of material depending upon the performancecharacteristics required of the material. However, since polyvinylplastic can be easily and readily fabricated and is available at areasonable cost in sheet form of the type utilized in the presentinvention, we have found its use to be particularly desirable.

The elongated body 12 of the bracelet It) includes an identification tagcontainer 14 at one extremity thereof and a strap 16 at the otherextremity thereof, said strap being perforated to define a plurality ofequally spaced openings 18 along the length of the strap.

The identification tag container 14 has a transparent top wall 20, thelateral edges of which are afixed to the adjacent edges of the elongatedbody 12 of the bracelet 10 by a conventional heat sealing processwherein said lateral edges are subjected to heat to cause them to fuseto the adjacent edges of the elongated body 12.

Therefore, a tubular enclosure is provided for an identification tag 22which bears the name of the person wearing the bracelet 1t and the namecan be read through the transparent top wall 20 of the identificationtag container 14.

A vertically oriented detent stud 26 is secured to the one extremity ofthe elongated body 12 of the bracelet 10, said stud being secured inoperative relationship with said one extremity of the elongated body 12by means of a rivet 28 operatively engaging the same. The detent stud 26constitutes a portion of the fastening means of the bracelet 10 as willbe apparent from the description of the mode of operation andconstruction of the bracelet appearing hereinbelow.

It will be noted that the base 30 of the stud 26 is superimposed uponthe outer extremity of the top wall 29 of the tag container 14 and thusserves to close off said extremity of said tag container and preventdislodgement of the identification tag 22 from operative relationshipwith the tag container 14.

Formed integrally with the elongated body 12 of the bracelet 10 is alaterally extending foldable tab 34 which is located immediatelyadjacent the one extremity of the bracelet '10 and which has aspring-type fastener 36 mounted thereupon. The spring-type fastener 36is of annular configuration and includes upper and lower portions 38 and4t encompassing the opposite sides of the tab 34 and is provided on theupper portion 38 with a plurality of inwardly directed spring arms 44adapted to engage upon a land 46 on the detent stud 26. As disclosed inour copending application for the spring-type fastener, Serial No.747,717, filed July 10 1958, the spring arms 44 of the upper portion 38of the spring 3 fastener 36, when they engage the land 46 on the detentstud 26, cannot be released therefrom and thus the spring fastener 36when once engaged upon the stud 26 cannot be released from operativeengagement therewith.

The spring fastener 36, in conjunction with the detent stud 26, servesas the fastening means of the bracelet and, as will be described ingreater detail hereinbelow, the fastening means as constituted by thestud 26 and the spring fastener 36 when once mutually engaged cannot bereleased.

In fabricating the bracelet 10', sheets of polyvinyl acetate film arecut into elongated strips and perforated to provide openings 18 in thestrap portions of the strips, the strips constituting the bodies 12 ofthe bracelets 1th At the same time that the sheets are cut in strips,the tabs 34 are formed integrally therewith although it is obvious thatthe tabs might be subsequently fastened thereupon. The transparent upperwall of the tag container 14 is then aifixed to the adjacent edges ofeach of the strips by heat sealing or cementing the same. Subsequently,the detent stud 26 is fastened to the one extremity of the body 12 ofthe'bracelet 10 in overlying relationship with the outer extremity ofthe tag container 14. The upper and lower portions 38 and 40 of thespring fastener 36 are then assembled with the laterally extending tab34 and the bracelet 10 is then ready for utilization.

While a preferred method of assembling the corn ponent parts of thebracelet 10 has been described, those skilled in the art may discoverother methods of assembling said component parts which may be moresuitable for their particular facilities. However, .the method describedhas been found to be quite feasible.

In installing the bracelet It! on the Wrist of a patient, it is merelynecessary to encompass the wrist with the bracelet and to size thebracelet to the wrist in the most comfortable manner by engaging thestrap 16 through the intermediary of one of the openings 18 therein uponthe detent stud 2a, in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawing.After the strap has been so engaged, the tab 34 is folded over to engagethe spring fastener 36 upon the detent stud 26. When this has beenaccomplished, the projecting portion of the strap indicated at thedotted lines at as in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawing may be cut withscissors or may be permitted to remain, if desired.

As pointed out hereinabove, once the spring arms 44 of the springfastener 36 are engaged upon the radially directed land 46 on the upperextremity of the detent stud 26, the spring fastener '35 cannot bedisengaged from said stud. Thus, the extremity of the strap 16 locatedbetween the fastener 36 and the stud 26 cannot be removed and thebracelet 10 is securely looked upon the wrist of the wearer thereof.Therefore, the patient cannot remove the bracelet 10 either voluntarilyor involuntarily and suitable identification thus remains with thepatient during his stay in the hospital.

It will be noted that, once the bracelet 10 encompasses the wrist of thewearer, the identification tag 22 is retained against displacement fromthe inner extremity of the tag container 14 by virtue of the fact thatthe natural curvature assumed by the tag container 14 binds the tag 22between the top wall 20 and the adjacent surface of the elongated body12 of the bracelet 10.

We thus provide by our invention a bracelet 10 which can be easily andcheaply manufactured and which is characterized by the ease with whichit can be installed upon the wrist of a patient or other wearer thereof.Also characteristic of the bracelet of our invention is the provision ofa fastener which permanently resists removal of the bracelet from thewrist unless the bracelet is cut or otherwise severed.

We claim:

1. In an identification bracelet, the combination of: an

elongated, flexible body having a tubular identification containeradjacent one extremity and an elongated strap constituting the otherextremity thereof, said strap having a plurality of fastener receivingopenings therein; a detent member mounted at said one extremity forengagement; with a selected one of said openings; a laterally extendingtab located at said one extremity and secured thereto; and a fastenercarried on said tab and engageable with said detent to lock said strapthereupon after said bracelet has been fitted to the body of a person,said fastener and said detent being axially aligned and in side-by-siderelationship when said bracelet is in open condition.

2. In an identification bracelet, the combination of: an elongated,flexible body having a tubular identification container adjacent oneextremity and an elongated strap constituting the other extremitythereof, said strap having a plurality of fastener receiving openingstherein; a detent stud mounted at said one extremity for engagement witha selected one of said openings; a laterally extending tab located atsaid one extremity and secured thereto; and a spring fastener carried-onsaid tab and engageable with said detent to lock said strap thereuponafter said bracelet has been fitted to the body of a person, saidfastener and detent being disposed in the same plane and in sidebysiderelationship when open.

3. In a bracelet adapted to receive an identification tag, thecombination of: an elongated flexible body having a tag holder at oneextremity and a perforated strap at its other extremity; a laterallyoriented tab secured to said body at said one extremity and having afastener mounted thereupon; and a detent secured to said one extremityfor engaging a perforation of said strap and said fastener when said tabhas been folded over said strap, said tab being disposed in the sameplane on said strap when open and said detent and fastener beingdisposed in side-by-side relationship.

4. In an identification bracelet, the combination of: an identificationholder at one extremity of said bracelet and a perforated strap at itsother extremity; a foldable tab at said one extremity movable intooverlying relationship with said strap but normally disposed in the sameplane as said strap; and co-operative fastener means on said tab andsaid bracelet for holding said tab over said strap.

5. In an identification bracelet, the combination of: a tubularidentification holder at one extremity of said bracelet and a perforatedstrap at its other extremity; a foldable tab at said one extremitymovable into overlying relationship with said strap; and co-operativefastener means on said tab and said bracelet for holding said tab oversaid strap, said co-operative fastener means being disposed in the sameplane and in side-by-side relationship when said bracelet is in opencondition.

6. In an identification bracelet, the combination of: a tubularidentification holder at one extremity of said bracelet and a perforatedstrap at its other extremity; a foldable tab at said one extremitymovable into overlying relationship with said strap; and cooperativefastener means on said tab and said bracelet for holding said tab oversaid strap, a portion of said fastener means being secured in overlyingrelationship with one end of said tubular iden: tilication holder toclose said end.

7.' An identification bracelet comprising terminal strap members and afiat body portion, said body portion being formed to provide a pocketfor an identification card, one of said terminal strap members having alongitudinal row of openings, and the other of said terminal strapmembers ,having at its outer end a laterally extending tab, saidmentioned end of the terminal strap member carrying a snap fastenerincluding a stud section secured to the outer end of the last mentionedstrap member and a socket section secured to the tab, the firstmentioned strap memher being adapted to be placed over the secondmentioned strap member with the stud forced through a selected openingof the row of openings, the tab being folded over 5 the first strapmember with the socket section of the snap a selected opening, the tabbeing foldable over the first fastener snapped over the stud. strapmember with the socket section snapped over the 8. A bracelet includingterminal strap members, one Studof said members havin a lon itudinal rowof 0 enin s, the other strap member having a laterally extendi ng fifx-5 References Cited the file of thls patent ible tab, said last mentionedstrap member having a snap UNITED STATES PATENTS fastener including astud section secured thereto and a 1, 24 199 D h Sept 22 1931 socketsection secured to the tab, the strap members being 2,111,664 Gross Mar.22, 1938 foldable one over the other with the stud sprung through ,86,796 Polzin Aug. 12, 1958

